Machine for mechanically working hollow thread packages



April 20, 1937. H. F. GIBLING MACHINE FOR MECHANICALLY WORKING HOLLOWTHREAD PACKAGES Filed May 23, 1934 7 Sheets-Sheet l b M wn mm mm April1937- H. F. GIBLING 2,077,520

MACHINE FOR MECHANICALLY WORKING HOLLQW THREAD PACKAGES Filed May 23,1934 '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 m5 Imelda] (furLjmw April 20, 1937. H. F. GIBLINGMACHINE FOR MECHANICALLY WORKING HOLLOW THREAD PACKAGES Filed May 25,1934 '7 Sheets-Sheet 3 "l l'll'lll l ll flll l lll April 20, 1937. H, F,GlBLlNG 2,77,52@

MACHINE FOR MECHANICALLY WORKING HOLLOW THREAD PACKAGES 7 Sheets-Sheet 4Filed May 23, 1934 April 20, 1937. G|BL|NG 2,077,520

MACHINE FOR MECHANICALLY WORKING HOLLOW THREAD PACKAGES Filed May 23,1934 '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 April 20, 1937. H. F. GIBLING MACHINE FORMECHANICALLY WORKING HOLLOW THREAD PACKAGES Filed May 25, 1954 7Sheets-Sheet 6 w@ wm om I 8 R R mm R i u Q. 0% 00) PE April 20, 1937.

H. F. GIBLING MACHINE FOR MECHANICALLY WORKING HOLLOW THREAD PACKAGESFiled May 23, 1954 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Patented Apr. 20, 1937 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE" MACHINE FOR MECHANIGALLY WORKING HOLLOW THREAD PACKAGESApplication May 23, 1934, Serial No. 727,083

13 Claims.

The present invention relates to machines for mechanically workinghollow thread packages,

and more specifically to a machine which has v been developed inconnection with the process for the manufacture of artificial silk setforth in the application of George R. Lockhart, Serial No. 647,368,filed; December 15, 1932, and is intended primarilyfor mechanicallyworking cakes of artificial silk fibres made in accordance with e theso-called pot spinning method, to prepare the cakes for subsequentprocessing operations by fluid treatment.

The cakes of artificialzsilkare producedin accordance with thepotrspinningprocess referred to, by the precipitating in the-formof finefibers of a'viscoseisolutionforced through a spinneret into acoagulatingbath of dilute sulphuric'acid. These fibers are then collected and fedinto a rapidly rotating pot' which gives the thread the required twistand forms the so-called cake or package of thread which is then .putaside for ageing. The cake in this form includes 'a large quantity ofsalts and other extraneous material whichare carried-over from thecoagulating bath and are precipitated with the threads'in the pot, sothat the cake as it comes from the ageing roomconstitutes a rigid,unyielding mass which is relatively imperviousto penetration byprocessing liquids. In accordance with the invention' set forth in theapplication above referred to, it is proposed by mechanical working ofthe cake to break down the rigid-structure so that a soft and pliablethread mass of a relatively loose consistency is produced'which may bereadily permeated by the processing liquids during the subsequentoperations of washing, de-sulphurizing, etc.

It is therefore a principal object of the present invention toprovide'av machine for mechanically working a hollow thread package tobreak down and loosen all portions of the thread mass to conditionit'for subsequent processing operations.

More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide amachine which is particularly adapted for performing the operation ofmechanically working a cake of artificial silk threads to break down andloosen all portions of the cake without at the same time displacing orotherwise disturbing the relative positions of the threads to interferewith the subsequent steps of processing and winding from the cake.

With these and other objects in view, as may hereinafter appear, theseveral features of the invention consist in the devices, combinationsand arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed, whichtogether with the advantages to be obtained thereby, will be readilyunderstood by one skilled in the artfrom the following description takenin connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a planview of the machine embodying in a preferred form the-several featuresof the invention; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the machine shown inFig. 1; Fig. 3 is asectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig.4 isa detail plan view; on an enlarged scale with parts broken awaytoillustrate particularly the timing mechanism for controlling the rate ofadvance of the feed chain and cakes supported thereby; Fig. 5 is anenlarged detail sectional view of the control valve for thecompressedair cylinder illustrated generally in Fig. 4; Fig. 6 isanenlarged detail view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4; Fig. 7 is a detailplan view on an enlarged scale of the clutch mechanism illustrated inFig. 4; Fig. 8 is an, enlarged detail plan view of'a portion of the feedchain and of the hook for imparting the required step-by-step advancingmovements to the chain; Fig. 9 is a view in side elevation of the partsshown in Fig. 8; Fig. 10 is an enlarged detail plan view illustratingparticularly the drive for rotating the cake press rollers; Fig. 11 isa=plan view of the cake breaker; Fig. 12 is an enlarged detail view inside elevation of the cooperating cake press and supporting rolls; andFig. 13 is a, detail end view of the cake press roller and itssupporting mechanism taken substantially on the line l3l3 of Fig. 12.

The machine disclosed in the drawingsfor breaking down and looseningthread packages, has been particularly constructed and arranged for thehandling of cakes of artificial silkthread manufactured in accordancewith the pot spinning method to prepare these cakes for the subsequentprocessing operations as thoroughly as possible without at the same timedisarranging or snarling the threads. A considerable amount ofdiificulty has been encountered in the handling of these cakes due toirregularities both in consistency and shape. It has been found, forinstance, that the inner portion of the cake wall is considerably softerthan the outer surface and, therefore, tends to spread or mushroomoutwardly when subjected to pressure or pulling strains to extend thecake laterally of the wind, with a consequent distortion in positionsand probable snarling of the threads during the subsequent operation ofWinding from the cake.

The difiiculty in handling is greatly increased by the peculiar shape ofthe cake which is substantially that of a truncated cone, so that aconical surface is presented for contact with the mechanisms forsupporting, and for breaking down and loosening the cake, which tend tocause distortions in the shape of the cake during the working operation,and also make it difficult to provide a stable and dependable means ofsupport.

In carrying out the present invention, a machine has been developed forbreaking down and expanding cakes of artificial silk or similar threadpackages which comprises a carrier having mounted thereon a series ofsupporting rolls on which the cakes are advanced successively throughthe machine, a series of press rollers which are arranged to cooperatesuccessively with each of the supporting rolls to position the packagesin operating position, and a beater or flattening element which is givena rapid reciprocating movement to repeatedly flatten and release eachcake while held in operating position between the supporting roll of thecarrier and the press roller cooperating therewith.

The press rollers are continuously rotated at on their supports so thateach cake will be flat- -'tened in many different angular positions toinsure the breaking down and softening of all parts of the cake. Inorder that the cakes may at the same time be extended laterally of thewind, each press roller is mounted to exert a yielding spring pressureon the wall of the cake engaged between the press roller and thesupporting carrier roll which, combined with the flattening and rollingaction above described, has a tendency to spread the cake wall.

As shown in the drawings, a frame is provided which comprises a seriesof uprights 29 and cross frames 22 on which are supported an upper trackor guideway 24 and a lower track 28 for an endless carrier chain 28. Ateach end of the machine there are provided additional brackets 39 and 32on which are mounted the bearings for sprockets 34 and 36 over which thechain 28 is arranged to pass. A series of cross shafts 38 are mounted atspaced intervals around the length of the chain 28, each of said shaftshaving mounted thereon two slightly tapered supporting rolls 49 for thecakes, one being carried on each side of the chain 28. The cross shafts38 are provided adjacent each end with trunnions 42 which are arrangedfor engagement with guide rails 44 on the uprights 29' to provideadditional support for the cross shafts 38 and supporting rolls 49during the travel of these ele- .ments with the chain on the lower track26 past the operating devices.

The present machine is also provided with a number of tapered pressrollers 45 which are mounted in two series, one on either side of thechain 28, to cooperate with the supporting rolls 49. The press'rollers46 are carried in a series of cross frames or brackets 59 which haveformed thereon the depending arms 52 provided with guideways 54 asillustrated in Fig. 13, to receive sliding bearing blocks 56 for theroller spindles I 58. For convenience of assembly of the bearing blocks56 in the guideways 54, a bar 69 is rigidly secured by means of screws62 to each dependving arm 52 to form one side of the guideway 54. Eachof the bearing blocks 56 is yieldingly supported on its slide by meansof a compression spring 63 seated against an adjustable set sc ew 64,and arranged to bear against the under side of the block, and by meansof a compression spring 66 seated in a recess in the corresponding arm52, and arranged at its lower end to engage with the upper side of theblock 56. With this construction and arrangement of the parts, the pressrollers are held yieldingly in position above the supporting rolls 49cooperating therewith to leave a space separating the two sets of rollswhich is somewhat less than the thickness of a cake, so that each of thepress rollers 46 will be forced with a yielding spring pressure againsta cake positioned on the supporting roll 49 which has been brought intocooperative relationship thereto.

The press rollers 46 are continuously rotated at a relatively slow rateof speed as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 10 through reduction gearing froma main drive shaft 19' which extends lengthwise of the machine and ismounted within a gear box I2. A separate train of driving connections isprovided for each pair of press rollers comprising a worm I4 on thedrive shaft I9 which is arranged to mesh with a worm wheel I6 formed ona cross shaft I8. Two sprocket wheels 89 are mounted respectively one oneach end of each cross shaft I8, and are connected through sprocketchains 82 with sprockets 84 formed on the inner ends of the twocorresponding press roller spindles 58. The drive shaft I9 iscontinuously driven from an electric motor 86 through connections whichinclude a sprocket 88 secured to the shaft I9, a sprocket chain 89 and asprocket 99 secured to the driven shaft 92 of a reduction gear set ofordinary description generally indicated at 94. The driving shaft forthe reduction gear set indicated at 96 carries a pulley 98 which isconnected through a driving belt I99 with a pulley I92 on the armatureshaft I93 of the motor 86.

During the operation of the machine, the endless chain 28 is given astep-by-step feeding movement which is equal to the distance between theadjacent press rollers 46, so that the supporting rolls 49 on that partof the chain occupying the lower level are advanced with each feedingmovement to a position directly in line with and beneath the nextsucceeding press roller 46. To insure the correct positioning of thecross shaft 38 and supporting rolls 49 under the cooperating pressrollers 48, the trunnions 42 riding on the rails are arranged with eachadvancing movement of the chain 28 to ride onto cup-shaped cam surfacesI96 on the rails 44 which serve to center the cross shafts 38 and rolls49 directly beneath the cooperating press rollers 46.

The cakes are flattened repeatedly in a large number of angularpositions as they are held and slowly turned in engagement between thecooperating supporting rolls 49 and press rollers 46 by means of amechanism best shown in Figs. 2 and 3 which comprises a frame I98 havingmounted thereon a series of pads I I9 arranged in two series directlyunderlying the press rollers 46 to engage with the under sides of thecakes being operated upon in the machine. The frame I98 is supported bymeans of two plungers H2 which are mounted to slide in stationarysleeves I I4, and are moved rapidly up and down in unison throughconnections from a constantly rotating drive shaft I I6 which comprisestwo cranks II8 secured respectively to each end of a drive shaft H6 andconnected through the links I29 to the plungers I I2. The drive shaft II6 is driven from an electric motor I22 by means of a belt I24 whichpasses over a pulley l26on. the drive. shaft andza pulley I28 on thearmature shaft of the motor.

During the operations of turningand beating or, flattening the cakes, itis necessary to-maintain thecakes accurately in position on theirsupporting rolls, and to present them to the beater mechanism in'such amanner that there will be no distortion or disarrangement of the threadsin the cake which will result in the snarling of the threads during asubsequent operation of unwinding from the cake. To this end thesupporting rolls 46 are'tapered to correspond to the taper of the insideface of the cake, so that the end'faces of the cake are supported at alltimes in a perpendicular position in the machine as illustrated forinstance at I26 in Figs. 2 and 3. The press rollers 46 arecorrespondingly tapered to provide a smooth rolling contact of the pressrollers 46 and supporting roll 46 respectively with the outside andinside surfaces of the cake wall. It has been found as a practicalmatter that due to the shape of the cake, a slightly greater taper mustbe given to the press rollers 46 than is given to the supporting rolls46 to insure the proper cooperation of the press rollers 46 therewithand to prevent travel of the cake axially of the supporting rolls 46during the successive turning operations above described. Experience hasshown also that the shape of the pads II6 on the beater frame I68 has animportant bearing to maintain. the cakes in a desired position axiallyon the supporting rolls 46. A pad which has its contact surface locatedentirely in a plane parallel to the axis of the supporting rolls has atendency during repeated engagement with the relatively inclined outersurface of the rotating cake to cause the cake to travel inwardly in thedirection of its larger diameter. With the present construction thistendency has been corrected by building up the inner'side of each pad II6 as best shown at I21 in Fig. 3 of the drawings to provide a contactsurface inclined in a direction opposite to the direction of incline ofthe cake wall engaged thereby and of a sufficient steepness to exactlycounteract the tendency of the cake 'to travel axially of the supportingrolls.

The drive for imparting a step-by-step feeding movement to the endlesschain 28 to advance each pair of supporting rolls 46 and cakes supportedthereon from an inoperative position on the upper level into operativeengagement successively with'each pair of press rollers 46 in turn,comprises a compressed air operated piston I29 which is mounted to slidewithin a compressed air cylinder I36, and has secured thereto a shaft orplunger I3I. A bracket I32 is adjustably secured to the free end of theplunger I3I, and has pivotally secured thereto a hook member I34 whichis arranged during the advancing movement of the piston I29 and plungerI31 to slideover the links of the chain, and on the return movement ofthe plunger to engage with and advance the chain through the requireddistance. In order to provide additional support for the assemblyincluding the hook member I34 and bracket I32, the bracket I32 ismounted to slide on two parallel guide rods I35 fixedly mounted on themachine frame.

The limit of the advancing movement of the plunger I3I and hookengaging" therewith is determined by the adjustable nut on plunger I3I,and is constant at any predetermined setting. For the accuratedetermination of the length of the return feeding movement of theplungerI3I and"hook:l34 to-advance the carrier. andspackages supported. thereonexactly into operating relathreaded to the plunger I3I, and is arrangedduring the retracting or feed movement of the plunger I3I to engage witha corresponding abutment. formed on the end of the cylinder I36 topositively. limit the length of the feeding movement imparted to thecarrier chain.

Compressed-air is alternatively admittedto and exhausted from-each endof the chamber I36 by means of a valve of ordinary description generallyindicated at I31 in Fi'gs.4 and 5, providedwith a rotatable control stemI38, and: having connected thereto a compressed'air inlet I39, outletsI46 and I42 to each end of the cylinder, and an exhaust'outlet I44.

.The operation of the valve to impart the reouired'advancing and returnmovements to the plunger I3I and hook I34 to advance the chain 28, iscontrolled by means of a timing mechanism which is arranged to permitthe elapse of any desired period of time between feeding movements todetermine the amount of the working to which each cake issubjected. Theconnections for operating the valve stem I36 comprise a valve controllever 146 which is connected through a link I48 to a control arm I56secured to the upper end of a vertical shaft I52. A 1

bevel gear I54 also mounted on the shaft I52 meshes with a correspondingbevel gear I56 mounted on a short drive shaft I58 which has keyedthereto a clutch sleeve I66. which is-=arrangedfor engagement with aconstantly driven clutch member I62 formed on an abutting drive shaftI64. A compression spring I65 coiled about the shaft I56 between theclutch sleeve I66 and a fixed shoulder tends to engage the clutch sleevewith the clutch member I62. The shaft-I64 is driven from an electricmotor I66 through a sprocket. chain. I68 which passes over asprocket onthe armature shaft of the motor and over a sprocket I12 on a shaft I14which is. in turn connected with a cross shaft I18 through a reductiongear unit of ordinary description mounted in a gear box I16. 'Axgear I66on'the shaft I18 meshes with an idler gear I82which in turn meshes withaegear I84 on the drive shaft The clutch sleeve I66 is renderedoperative at predetermined intervals to engage with the drivingclutch-member I62 to cause the drive shaft I58 to be'turned through asingle revolution,

and is then again disengaged so that the shaft I52 and control arm I56will be turned with-each engagement of the clutch sleeve I66 throughone-half revolution to operate the valve stem -I38 first to force theplunger I36 intone direction, and then upon the next succeedingengagement of the clutch sleeve I66 to force the piston I29 and plungerI3I to the limit of its stroke in an opposite direction. The clutchsleeve I66 is normally held out of engagement with the driving clutchmember I62, and is controlledwhen rendered operative to rotate the driveshaft I58 through only a single revolution by means of a laterallydisposed clutch control lever I96 which is secured to a pivot shaft I92,and has secured to its free end a wedge-shaped follower I94 which isarranged to engage with a cam surface I96 formed on the clutch sleeve166, and acts normally to hold the sleeve I66 in .its retractedinoperative position. A tension spring I98 connected at one end to thecontrol lever I96.

and at its other end to the machine frame, tends to maintain thefollower I 94 in operative engagement with the cam surface I96. When itis desired during the operation of the machine to engage the clutchsleeve I60 with the driving clutch member I62 to actuate the controlvalve I31, the clutch control lever I90 is momentarily lifted, so thatthe raised portion of the cam I96 is permited to ride under theWedge-shaped follower I94 to permit the engagement of the sleeve I60.During the subsequent rotation of the sleeve I60, the follower I94 ispermitted to drop again into operative relationship to the cam I96, sothat at the end of the complete revolution, the sleeve I60 will beretracted to its inoperative position by the engagement of the followerI94 with the high portion of the cam I96.

The drive shaft I58 is returned to a predetermined angular position atthe end of each successive revolution by means of a centering devicewhich comprises a spring-pressed arm 200 which carries a roll 202arranged to engage in a notch 204 formed in a flange 206 on the sleeveI60. The arm 200 is provided at its lower end with an offset nib 208which engages beneath a projection 2I0 formed on a supporting bracket2I2, and also has secured thereto a pin 2I4 which is loosely fittedthrough an aperture 2I6 in the supporting bracket 2I2. The arm 200 ismoved yieldingly in a direction to engage the roll 202 in the notch 204by means of a spring connection comprising a pin 2I8 which is secured tothe arm 200 intermediate its length, and is arranged to extend throughan aperture 220 in the supporting bracket 2I2. A compression spring 222coiled about the pin 2I8 between the adjustable nuts 224 and a Washer226, acts tohold the roll 202 yieldingly in engagement with the flange206 and notch 204.

The control lever I90 is raised at predetermined intervals of time topermit the engagement of the clutch sleeve I60 with the clutch member I62 to impart the required feeding and return movements to the hook I34by means of a timing mechanism comprising a cam disk 230 which issecured to a drive shaft 232 and is provided with adjustable cams 234and 236 arranged to engage with a beveled cam follower 238 secured tothe control lever I90. The cam shaft 232 and cam 230 are continuouslydriven from the electric motor I66 through connections which includepick-off gears 240 and 242 secured respectively to the cam shaft 232 andto a countershaft 244. A gear 246 also secured to the countershaft 244is arranged for engagement with a gear 248 which is mounted on theoutput shaft 250 of a reduction gear set generally indicated at 252 inFig. 4. The input shaft 254 of the reduction gear set 252 iscontinuously driven from the shaft I18 of the reduction gear set I16 bymeans of a sprocket chain 256 which is arranged to ride on sprocketsmounted respectively on the shafts 254 and I18. With this constructionand arrangement of the parts, it will readily be seen that the timeduring which the machine is operating on a particular cake will dependon the rate of rotation of the cam shaft 232 and cam 230, and mayreadily be determined by the choice of reduction gear ratio, and moreparticularly by the choice of the pick-off gears 240 and 242.

The operation of the machine is as follows: The cakes fresh from theageing room, and preferably Wrapped as specifically set forth in the application of Lockhart above referred to, are placed on the supportingrolls 40 in advance of the point at which they will be brought intoengagement with the press rollers 46 as illustrated for instance at 260in Fig. 2. The step-by-step feeding movement of the endless chain 28subsequently causes the cross shaft 38 carrying the supporting rolls '40on which the first one or pair of new cakes are mounted to be broughtinto position directly beneath the first pair of press rollers 46 wherethe cross shaft 39 is positioned by the engagement of the trunnions 42with the cup-shaped cams I06 on the guide rails 40. At the same time thepress rollers 46 mounted on the sliding bearing blocks 56 are forcedupwardly by the engagement with the outer surfaces of the cakes, so thatthe cakes are held under pressure between the two sets of rolls. In thisposition the cakes are subjected to the rapid pushing action of thebeater pads I I0 and are slowly rotated due to the continuous rotafrymovement of the press rollers 46 so that the cakes are flattenedsuccessively in a number of angular positions. The time during whichthis operation is continued is determined by the operation of the timingdevice Which acts after a predetermined interval of time which may, forinstance, amount to about seconds, to again advance the endless chain 28and cross shafts 38 so that the leading pair of cakes is brought into asimilar operating position with relation to the second pair of pressrollers 46, the cakes mounted on the next succeeding pair of supportingrolls 40 being simultaneously brought into operative position withrelation to the first pair of press rollers 46. In this manner, eachcake is brought into operative relationship to each successive pressroller 46 and is gradually rotated so that all portions of the cake aresoftened and loosened while, at the same time, the cake is extendedlaterally of the wind by the rolling action of the cooperating pressrollers 46 and supporting rolls 40. As the cross shafts 38 andsupporting rolls 40 pass from under the last pair of press rollers 46with the continued step-by-step feed of the endless chain 28, and passaround the sprocket 34 to the upper level, the cakes are removed fromthe machine by the operator and new cakes substituted on the supportingrolls.

The invention having been described, what is claimed is:

1. A machine for mechanically working a hollow thread package having, incombination, means for supporting a package comprising rollers engagingbetween them the package wall, means for beating the package Whileengaged by said rollers, means for rotating said rollers to vary theangular position of the package with relation to-said supporting andbeating means, and means acting on said rollers to exert a yieldingpressure on the wall of the package.

2. A machine for mechanically working a hol- 10W thread package having,in combination, a supporting roll adapted to engage with the internalsurface of the package Wall, a cooperating roller adapted for yieldingengagement with the external surface of the package wall, means forrotating said rollers, and means adapted for repeated engagement withthe opposite side of the package to beat the package in a plurality ofangular positions.

3. A machine for mechanically working a hollow thread package havingsubstantially the shape of a frustrated cone having, in combination, asupporting roll adapted for engagement with the inner surface of thepackage wall having a taper corresponding substantially to the iii angleof inner surface of the package wall with its axis, a cooperating rolleradapted for engagement with the external surface of the package wallhaving a taper corresponding substantially to the angle of the externalsurface of the package wall with its axis, means for rotating saidrollers, and a beating device adapted for repeated engagement with theopposite side of the package to flatten the package in a plurality ofangular positions.

4. A machine for mechanically working a hollow thread package havingsubstantially the shape of a frustrated cone having, in combination, asupporting roll adapted for engagement with the inner surface of thepackage wall having a taper corresponding substantially to the angle ofinner surface of the package wall with its axis, a cooperating rolleradapted for engagement with the external surface of the package wallhaving a taper corresponding substantially to the angle of the externalsurface of the package wall with its axis, means for rotating saidrollers, and a beater device comprising a pad adapted for engagementwith the opposite side of the package movable in a plane substantiallynormal to the axis of the package and having that portion engaging thelarger end of the package built up to prevent travel of the packageaxially of the cooperating rollers.

5. A machine for mechanically working a hollow thread package having, incombination, a series of supporting members, each arranged forengagement within a thread package, a feeding device comprising aconveyor on which said supporting members are carried, a series ofcooperating members adapted for engagement successively with each ofsaid packages on its supporting member, and means for repeatedly beatingeach of said packages while engaged by each of said cooperating membersin turn.

6. A machine for mechanically working a hollow thread package having, incombination, a supporting member arranged to engage within a package,means for advancing said supporting member in the machine arranged toprovide a dwell in said advancing movement at spaced intervals, a seriesof press rollers arranged to engage said package on its supportingmember for predetermined dwell positions thereof, means for rotatingsaid rollers to turn said cake on its supporting member, and means forrepeatedly beating the cake while engaged by each of said rollers.

'7. A machine for mechanically working hollow thread packages having, incombination, a series of supporting rollers extending within thepackages, a conveyor on which said rollers are located, a series ofpress rollers spaced to cooperate simultaneously with said supportingrollers to engage between them the package walls, means for beating thepackages held between said series of rollers, and means for imparting astep-by-step feeding movement to said conveyor.

8. A machine for mechanically working hollow thread packages having, incombination, a series of supporting rollers extending within thepackages, a conveyor on which said rollers are located, a series ofpress rollers spaced to cooperate simultaneously with said supportingrollers to engage between them the package walls about the press andextend said walls laterally of the wind, means for registering each ofsaid supporting rollers in operating position with relation to thecorresponding press roller, means for rotating said rollers to passsuccessive portions of the cake walls therebetween, and means foradvancing said conveyor to position each supporting roller successivelywith relation to each press roller in turn.

9. A machine for mechanically working hollow thread packages having, incombination, a series of supporting rollers extending within thepackages, an endless conveyor on which said rollers are located, aseries of press rollers spaced to cooperate simultaneously With saidsupporting rollers to engage between them the package walls, means foradvancing said conveyor to register each of said supporting rollerssuccessively with different press rollers of the series, means forturning the packages on their supporting rollers, and means for beatingthe packages while engaged between corresponding rollers of the twoseries.

10. A machine for mechanically working hollow thread packages having, incombination, a

series of supporting rollers extending within the packages, an endlessconveyor on which said rollers are located, a series of press rollersspaced to cooperate simultaneously with said supporting rollers toengage between them the package walls, means for imparting astep-by-step advancing movement to said conveyor to register each ofsaid supporting rollers successively with different press rollers of theseries, a timing device adjustable to determine the length of dwellbetween successive steps of said advancing movement, means for turningthe packages on their supporting rollers, and means for beating thepackages while engaged between corresponding rollers of the two series.

11. A machine for mechanically working a hollow thread package havingsubstantially the shape of a frustrated cone, having in combination, asupporting roller adapted for engagement with the inner surface of thepackage wall having a taper correspcding substantially to the angle ofthe inner surface of the package wall with its axis, a cooperating pressroller adapted for pressing engagement with the external surface of thepackage wall having a taper corresponding substantially to the angle ofthe external surface of the package wall with its axis, and means forrotating said rollers to engage said rollers with successive portions ofthe cake wall to loosen and extend the cake laterally of the wind.

12. A machine for mechanically working a hollow thread package havingsubstantially the shape of a frustrated cone, having in combination, asupporting roller adapted for engagement with the inner surface of thepackage wall having a taper corresponding substantially to the angle ofthe inner surface of the package wall with its axis, a cooperating pressroller adapted for engagement with the. external surface of thepackage'wall having a taper corresponding substantially to the angle ofthe external surface of the package wall with its axis, means forrotating said rollers, and means for imparting to said rollers anengaging pressure to loosen and extend successive portions of the cakewall laterally of the wind.

13. A machine for mechanically working a hollow thread packagecomprising means for supporting the package, means for repeatedlybeating the package, and means for varying the position of the packagewith relation to said supporting and beating means to beat a pluralityof different portions of the package.

HAROLD F. GIBLING.

